Fred Olsen
THE PERFECT TICKET TO THE FJORDS
Although Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
prides itself on its very British
nature and caters for a mainly
UK-based clientele, it is actually one of
the world’s few family-owned lines and
was started by the Norwegian Olsen family,
who have a long history of freight and
passenger shipping, particularly between
Britain and Norway. Not surprisingly,
the cruises to the Fred. Olsen homeland
are very special and the company’s ships
always receive a warm welcome.
The fleet comprises four elegant, traditional
style ships that are relatively small by
today’s standards, with the largest - Balmoral
- carrying around 1,400 passengers
(compared to many ships today which may
carry as many as six thousand or more
people). Their smaller size actually makes
these vessels ideal for gaining access to
the crooked and intricately shaped inlets to
the great Norwegian fjords. There are few
experiences so awe-inspiring as to cruise
the mighty Sognafjord, with its mirror-like
calm, deep waters and gaze up at the soaring
mountains, with their cascading waterfalls
and the sun sparkling on the snowcapped
peaks – even in June! The ships can
visit the tiny and exquisite villages that dot
the fjords like Flam and Gudvangen.
While the seven or eight night “classic
fjord” cruises are very popular, Fred. Olsen
also offers selected cruises that travel all
the way up to the Arctic Circle. Such a
cruise will visit Honningsvag, the most
northerly city in Europe and, from there,
excursions take guests to the rooftop of
the world – the North Cape – a 300-metre
high flat-topped slab, jutting out into the
ocean, topped by a massive metal sculpture
of a globe pointing to the North Pole 1,300
miles away. Herds of reindeer roam the
plains in this snowy wilderness, where
the Sami (Lapp) people follow a lifestyle
mostly unchanged for centuries. The
scenery on these cruises really deserves
to be called breathtaking and sometimes
polar bears and whales will be spotted en
route. One of the most fascinating aspects
of a North Cape cruise is the Midnight Sun
– for in summer the sun never sets and the
round the clock daylight creates amazing
sightseeing opportunities from the decks of
the ship.
In addition to the scenery and wildlife that
are highlights of these cruises, Norway of
THE PERFECT TICKET TO THE FJORDS
course offers some beautiful towns with
attractive architecture and fine shopping
– knitwear, seafood and elegant jewellery
abound. The charming seaport of Bergen
with its quaint old wooden buildings and
bustling fish market is a delight to visit, as
is Stavanger with its cobbled streets and
many delightful shops and cafes. The
Scandinavian atmosphere continues on
board, with mouth-watering Norwegian
cuisine being a major attraction – fresh
salmon and shell fish are always popular
items on the menu.
Fred. Olsen’s cruises to Norway travel
from a variety of UK ports, including
Dover, Southampton, Liverpool, Newcastle
(Port of Tyne), Rosyth (Edinburgh) and
Greenock (Glasgow). For customers living
in the north, they can avoid the long haul
to the southern departure ports, and so
reach their first Norwegian port of call even
sooner.
Details of all Fred. Olsen cruises worldwide,
including those to Norway and the
North Cape, can be found on the website
www.fredolsencruises.co.uk You can
book online, or call Reservations on 01473
742424 or through any ABTA travel agent.
www.fredolsencruises.com
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